Growing Pains
by wirenoose
Summary: When Kuroko approached him about the leg pains, after having noticed him sitting on the bleachers with his face twisted in pain, Atsushi had been reluctant to accept the help. Kuroko was tiny, Atsushi had doubted that the boy's hands would feel like much more than a doll's.
I really want to get taller but I don't want to deal with the growing pains. Someone on Tumblr pointed out that Murasakibara is nearly seven feet tall, and that he grew nine inches from junior to high school, so that had to be killer. In any case, please love my big purple son.

* * *

He hit his head on the door frame, hissing in pain as he back tracked and ducked low. Himuro looked back at him in curiosity, his one visible eye clouding in concern.

Atsushi waved him off and began to step forward, further inside, planning on going to his room to sleep. He was tired, too tired to even eat, which would have been concerning had he not been so tired. Falling onto his bed, Atsushi scrunched his eyes shut against the hammering pain in his head. He couldn't bite back the soft groan of pain, but he was beyond caring.

It hadn't been a good day.

He'd woken up to a stupidly familiar stinging ache in his legs and had spent a good ten minutes groaning into his pillow because why the hell was this happening to him? He'd grown enough, he was too tall as it was, how could he possibly grow any taller? But he'd dug into his nightstand; underneath the small ocean of candy wrappers and chip bags was a big bottle of pain pills that was already half empty. He'd ignored the dosage instructions because they were stupid and didn't apply to him, and shaken out four pills, swallowing them dry and quickly following them with the bottle of juice still on his nightstand from the night previous. When Himuro came to walk with him to school, he'd found Atsushi curled up pitifully on the couch, ice packs strapped to his legs because the pain pills were taking a stupidly long to kick in.

The pain had repeatedly swelled throughout the day, making him more irritated than usual. He'd snapped at Himuro and later apologized by giving the other boy two pieces of the candy he'd shoveled into his bag earlier. Himuro caught on to his foul mood and had to work double time as Atsushi's buffer to the rest of the team. During practice, the pain in his legs swelled right as he landed and he nearly crumpled. He knew Himuro noticed, nobody else had though, which was his only saving grace.

But school was over, and Atsushi had hit his head on his own door frame. He felt the bed dip as Himuro sat beside him.

"So, what happened this morning?"

"Growing pains," Atsushi mumbled, blindly digging in his nightstand for the bottle of pain pills and a snack.

"Growing pains?" Himuro sounded like he didn't believe him.

Atsushi only grumbled his affirmative, fingers closing around the bottle and a cookie package of some kind. He handed both to Himuro so he could open them while Atsushi focused on rolling onto his back. He opted to sit up instead, so that there was more room for his legs. Himuro handed him the unwrapped cookie first, watching with a miniscule smile as Atsushi crammed half of it in his mouth. When he was handed back the bottle, he shook out six pills, much to Himuro's horror, and swallowed them dry, following them with the rest of the cookie.

"Is it that bad?"

Atsushi's glare was answer enough.

"Do you want a cold cloth for your head?" Himuro asked after a moment, noting that Atsushi's forehead was turning red.

He didn't bother hearing Atsushi's answer, he stood and left the room, returning a few minutes later with the cloth. Atsushi tipped his head back as Himuro came closer and he closed his eyes. The initial contact made him grimace but soon the chill spread across his skin.

"There anything else I can do?" Himuro asked, sitting down once again.

"Call Kuro-chin."

He didn't have to see Himuro's face to know the other was shocked, and also confused.

"Taiga's friend, Kuroko? Why? We live too far for him to come over."

Atsushi didn't want to tell him but he doubted Himuro would call his ex teammate without a proper reason. In truth, Atsushi just felt it was embarrassing, especially calling Kuroko of all people. It wasn't like it was bad or anything, it was private. He trusted Himuro enough, maybe, he wasn't sure if he could replace Kuroko though, probably not.

"In junior high, the pain was worse, Kuro-chin massaged my legs."

"If it's just a massage, I can do that."

"No," Atsushi groaned, somewhat pissed that Himuro wasn't getting it.

When Kuroko approached him about the leg pains, after having noticed him sitting on the bleachers with his face twisted in pain, Atsushi had been reluctant to accept the help. Kuroko was tiny, Atsushi had doubted that the boy's hands would feel like much more than a doll's. He'd been wrong, and Kuroko had been persistent. Within three days, Kuroko had Atsushi lying down in the gym before practice, his massive legs settled across Kuroko's while the younger boy worked his apparent magic. The massage hurt at first; Atsushi's leg jumped and nearly kicked Kuroko in the head on the first go around, but once Kuroko got going, the pain went away. It became a usual thing, it was really their only form of bonding and Atsushi often went to him even when his legs weren't hurting. Kuroko knew, but he indulged Atsushi anyways.

When Akashi pulled his Emperor switch, and they all stopped their teamwork, Atsushi didn't know if he should go to Kuroko anymore. That was when the pains really flared up, that was when he really needed Kuroko's help, but he'd been stubborn.

He wondered if Kuroko would even be willing to help, to tell Himuro what to do.

Atsushi lifted up the part of the cloth that was covering his eyes just in time to see Himuro's lips open in an 'o' of understanding. How the other boy figured it out without Atsushi saying anything was beyond him, but he didn't want to think about it.

Himuro pulled Atsushi's cell phone from his school bag and scrolled through his limited contacts until he found Kuroko's number. Atsushi tipped his head back again, glad to feel the pain in his head going away.

"Kuroko?" he heard Himuro say. "Yes, I know this is Murasakibara's phone, he wanted me to call you."

There was a pause, Atsushi felt fear for a split second before writing it off as a jolt of pain from his legs that somehow traveled up to his chest.

"Right, well, he's been having terrible growing pains- I thought so to, anyways, he's already taken I don't know how many pain pills and they've not helped. He wanted me to call you, I'm assuming you have a way of helping?"

At least Kuroko was listening.

"No, I understand, are you sure you'll be able to describe it properly over the phone?" another pause, "Of course, just give me one moment."

Himuro gently nudged Atsushi's feet, silently telling him to move his legs.

Kuroko must have accepted.

The massage was like Kuroko's in action only, Himuro's hands were bigger, he was stronger; it worked well enough.

"I think I've got it, whenever we chance to meet up again, you'll have to check me," Himuro chuckled, "Say hi to Taiga for me, will you?"

Himuro's hands stilled only long enough for him to put the phone down then he returned his attention to Atsushi.

"Is this helping at all?'

Atsushi nodded, thinking about the fact that he'd probably have to do something for Kuroko in return for telling Himuro and helping Atsushi. He'd probably have to apologize for what happened at Teiko to. Atsushi wasn't good with words, but Kuroko was gifted at reading people, his old teammates especially, so he had no doubt that the smaller boy would understand perfectly if Atsushi willingly offered up more than three pieces of candy should they see each other some time soon.

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I'm planning on participating in the KuroBas Week in July, so you'll see more Atsushi, and everyone else, then!


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